UPIC Health, LLC
Patient Care Meets Empathy

In 2011, UPIC CEO, Mary Tucker, predicted the wave of patient volume that was about to wash over the healthcare market as providers began to implement reforms required by the Affordable Care Act.
And with her background in consumer experience and enterprise technologies, Tucker knew organizations would be tempted to throw money at the problem through technology solutions and consultants without first considering everything a fully-empowered and empathetic patient communications center could provide. She envisioned healthcare management and administration where patients are safe, heard, understood and engaged. But also, one where comprehensive and granular patient insights are captured and lead to tech solutions assured of patient adoption.

The shift to value-based care was an opportunity to help patients in a virtual setting, Tucker decided, while demonstrating to providers how reduced patient effort drives down costs and drives up compliance.

“The ACA rightfully applied technology to solve many quandaries as it was meant to ensure the optimal efficiency of the care team, but I started wondering how the millions of patients on Medicaid will access care now, and how will that be managed?” Tucker asked herself.

Identifying this urgent need for value-based patient care, Tucker founded UPIC Health, LLC.

“From my global consumer experience background in electronics, I could co-relate that if the patient’s voice is substantiated by robust data collection mechanisms, we could bring a lot of positive change by collecting and delivering data in real-time and help healthcare institutions to identify the gaps in patient care,” Tucker said from her office in Chantilly, VA.

Today, UPIC’s highly skilled staff serves clients in 15 states in a virtual setting powered by an omni-channel communication platform, customizable for its clients’ workflows, processes, and patient preferences. The simple yet powerful solution reduces patient call volume solely related to appointment scheduling by 20 percent. “And sometimes even 30 percent,” said Tucker.

UPIC’s business philosophy relies on three elements: “Empathy, engagement, and efficiency is what we believe in, and we combine the three of them to ensure that patients get the best care possible, while reducing waste,” says Tucker.

Empathy, engagement, and efficiency are what we believe in, and we combine the three of them to ensure that the patients get the best care possible

The firm acts as a true extension of the care team by gathering insights to patient barriers in care management and suggesting methods to remove those inefficient processes. Analyzing the data, the firm produces, ‘Voice of the Patient reports’ that offer clients insight to seamlessly operationalize the continuum of care.

For example, one client reduced monthly call volume by 33 percent after UPIC identified and fixed credentialing and insurance verification issues.

Leveraging a Lean Six Sigma methodology, UPIC continuously reassesses and reiterates its clients’ workflow to help them improve the patient experience. The company’s cycle of improvement ensures that the clients are empowered and can react swiftly to changes in technology and policy while keeping the patients as a top priority.

These evaluations lead UPIC to launch an extension service in revenue cycle management for healthier bottom lines. Clients have recovered more than $1.2 million in claims and reduced rejections by up to 45 percent by bundling services.

With more than 50 years of combined experience with enterprise level contact center best practices, UPIC also recently launched a video telebehavioral healthcare service. The video solution (VSW) delivers in-person, electronic behavioral health support, assuring immediate care access for patients, irrespective of their location.

Working strategically and treating its clients as partners, UPIC puts a strong emphasis on the value of the conversation with patients which can help remove barriers inherent in today’s healthcare system. UPIC aligns with clients’ strategic priorities—before engaging with them—and then focuses on delivering a customized patient communication plan. Under Tucker’s leadership, UPIC has experienced tremendous growth, six-fold in the first three years, and aims to establish itself as a full-service communications shop for healthcare providers.